Game police nab 22 violators in Pa.

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I'm sure you'll join me when I say that I'm delighted whenever game police nab violators who believe they can do as they please while you and I obey the law.

After a five-year, complicated investigation, Pennsylvania game wardens nailed 22 people, charging them with 117 violations of the state's game and wildlife code. I say, "Good show!"

Last month 40-year-old Matthew Ronald Baker, a Huntingdon County, Pa., deer processor, was found guilty before District Judge Richard Wilt of eight counts of illegal possession of deer and ordered to pay fines of $6,400 plus costs.

Baker's violations were discovered when Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife officers conducted a deer biology data inspection of his business late last year. They found several missing carcass tags (processors and taxidermists must keep game tags on the animals), and it raised the interest of the wildlife cops even more because of previous reports that something fishy was happening at Baker's plant.

"It was not the intent of our Special Investigations Division to become involved in a multi-year surveillance on this suspect," said Greg Houghton, assistant director of the Bureau of Law Enforcement for the Game Commission. "However, once the inquiry began, the excessive and continuous violations at [the] business involving Baker and his acquaintances quickly expanded into other areas and at least one other business. This required the investigation to last as long as it did."

Due to the amount of time it took to properly complete their investigation, Game Commission officers witnessed vast numbers of instances of illegal taking of various species of wildlife, plus other infractions. The violations included deer and protected birds, as well as infractions of the state Fish and Boat Code. On March 17, Conservation Officer Richard Danley Jr. filed 117 citations against Baker and others implicated in violations during the investigation. There were charges of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife; multiple counts of loaded firearms in vehicles; unlawful use of lights while hunting; three counts of buying and selling game animals, including the unlawful sale of protected birds and plumage.

The rest of the gang could receive heavy fines, revocation of hunting privileges, maybe time in the pokey.

Why is this guy still fishing? -- I don't understand why New Jersey bass fishing pro Michael Iaconelli is still allowed to fish in national bass competitions. After all, he recently had a snit during a nationally televised fishing tournament, ripped the boat's stern light that carried the American flag from its socket, then willfully stomped on the light and the flag, infuriating people all over the country. Plenty of onlookers witnessed Iaconelli's disgraceful behavior. Ranger Boats, which sponsored Iaconelli, immediately canceled his deal. Many people called for him to be barred from organized national competitions for life.

But here he was Sunday, accepting the winner's check and trophy from the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) after the big Lake Guntersville event in Alabama. Incidentally, BASS is owned by the ESPN cable TV network. Maybe ESPN doesn't care how competitors behave in tournaments it runs.